de Perrot was awkwardly placed. But he showed the presence
of mind of the old courtier. "Silence, sir!" He exclaimed
imperatively. "Do you not see M. de Rosny? Go to him at once
and pay your respects to him, and request him to honour you with
his protection. Or--I see that you are overcome by the honour
which the King does us. Go, first, and change your dress. Go,
boy!"
The lad retired sullenly, and M. de Perrot, free to deal with me
alone, approached me, smiling assiduously, and trying hard to
hide some consciousness and a little shame under a mask of
cordiality. "A thousand pardons, M. de Rosny," he cried with
effusion, "for an absence quite unpardonable. But I so little
expected to see his Majesty after what you said, and--"
"Are in no hurry to interrupt him now you are here," I replied
bluntly, determined that, whoever he deceived, he should not
flatter himself he deceived me. "Pooh, man! I am not a fool," I
continued.
"What is this?" he cried, with a desperate attempt to keep up
the farce.
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